News Photo by Kayla Wikaryasz On Monday, MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena staff are seen gathered in the entrance of the medical center, near the surgical waiting room. Hunter Nostrant, president of MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena, praised staff upon the medical center receiving top “A” grade.

ALPENA — According to a recent MyMichigan Health press release, The Leapfrog Group, a hospital evaluation organization, has graded MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena with a top “A” safety grade. This is MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena’s fourth year receiving a top “A” safety grade.

To earn a “Straight A” title, hospitals must receive five consecutive “A” safety grades, according to The Leapfrog Group.

The MyMichigan Health press release states that The Leapfrog Group evaluates hospitals bi-annually, in the spring and fall, using a comprehensive survey to determine if hospitals are meeting standards of care. Patient experience and safety outcomes are supplied by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and are also used to determine The Leapfrog Group grades.

The press release explains that the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade system is peer-reviewed and free for the public to view. The Hospital Safety Grade results are based on 30 national performance criteria.

According to The Leapfrog Group findings, MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena received varying scores on specific outcomes such as infections, problems with surgery, safety problems, practices to prevent errors, and doctors, nurses, and hospital staff.

For example, for The Leapfrog Group’s “Effective leadership to prevent errors” criteria, MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena received a score of 120, in line with the best-scoring hospitals. On average, hospitals received 117.49 in this criteria, while the worst-scoring earned scores of 9.23.

More scores can be viewed on The Leapfrog Group’s website, hospitalsafetygrade.org.

In the press release, MyMichigan Health states that for the 2025 spring safety grade, performance was based on data collected from 2021 to 2023. In total, 24 of 81 Michigan hospitals received top “A” safety grades, of which MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena was one. The majority of Michigan hospitals earned a “B” or “C” safety grade.

Lydia Watson, M.D., president and CEO of MyMichigan Health, stated in the press release that MyMichigan Health has “a robust plan in place to prioritize patient care and foster a culture of continuous improvement.”

Watson explained in the press release that MyMichigan Health is constantly assessing the quality of patient care.

“Our Medical Centers work together on strategies to identify risks, protect patients from preventable complications, and prevent errors,” Watson said in the press release. “In fact, MyMichigan Health studies differences in outcomes across our health system to identify patterns that could lead to potential harm. Improvement measures are then implemented and rolled out to all of our hospitals long before the data shows in grades.”

In the press release, Watson also says that MyMichigan Health’s grading outcome is demonstrative of the organization’s commitment to creating safe environments for patients.

Hunter Nostrant, president of MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena, explained that the Leapfrog Group safety grade is representative of MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena’s commitment to providing the best care possible to the community.

“Receiving an ‘A’ grade for the fourth time requires a constant pursuit of excellence in patient safety and care, and it is because of the dedication of our employees that this could be achieved,” Nostrant said. “The Alpena community deserves the best care possible, and we are committed to delivering just that by continuously improving our practices to minimize risks and prevent complications. We extend our gratitude to our staff, patients, and community for their ongoing support and trust. As we celebrate this achievement, we remain focused on the future, prioritizing patient safety and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.”

According to the press release, MyMichigan Medical Centers in Alma, Alpena, and West Branch maintained top “A” grades. Alma and West Branch received their third top grade in a row. MyMichigan Medical Center Saginaw earned a “B,” and MyMichigan Medical Centers in Midland and Sault Ste. Marie earned a “C.”